


Both Dream Big

by rymyanna



Series: Ache [5]
Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Developing Relationship, Dreamsharing, M/M, Magic, Post-Season/Series 02, Scheming, Soul Bond
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-09
Updated: 2019-06-09
Packaged: 2020-04-23 07:56:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19146766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rymyanna/pseuds/rymyanna
Summary: Viren wants to enjoy their seaside getaway, it’s just too bad that he’s a massive workaholic. Aaravos isn't a fan, but he helps out anyway. (continues Both Ache Less and ends the series)





	Both Dream Big

**Author's Note:**

> This started as a quick oneshot and ended up as a six part series. Ain't that just the way. This is the final part of Ache, thank you for reading (and taking the time to drop me a comment or/and a kudos). I hope you had at least as much fun as I did.

The place they were staying at was on the edge of a small fishing town. The townsfolk minded their own business, and Viren suspected they didn’t even know the building was occupied. He could even describe the location as idyllic.

In the evening of their first day there, Viren received news of a new development. 

“The elves are trying to leverage having Prince Callum in Xadia to get back their artifacts,” he said aloud to prompt some input from Aaravos, who was relaxing in a chair by the window.  

“They don’t have him,” Aaravos tried to reassure him, but it came across more like a hint at something else going on.

“So, he is in Xadia but he’s not in custody,” was Viren’s immediate interpretation.  

Aaravos smiled. “He keeps miraculously evading his would-be captors.”

Suspicious of the choice of words, Viren narrowed his eyes. “Of course he does.” When Aaravos just lounged harder, he gave up trying to get a straight answer. “I’m feeling a bit out of the loop, here.” Unlike when they had stayed at the Moon Nexus, where they’d been between the castle and Xadia, they were in the opposite direction. Farther from Xadia, but less isolated from the goings on of Katolis. 

“This is where you asked me to bring you.”

“I know, it’s great, but I’ve spent so much of my life dedicated to this conflict, and now,” he paused to gesture out the window. They had a nice view of the shoreline. “It’s hard to not care and enjoy the seaside.” A part of him wanted to; ignore politics for a while and have a few lazy days at the beach with his-- whatever Aaravos was to him now. His partner? His friend who he was a lot closer with than any of his other friends? The later was a bit of a mouthful, admittedly. He refused to refer to Aaravos as his lover. That made it sound like he was some damsel, whisked away by a mysterious stranger and living through a magical whirlwind romance. 

Even though everything had happened fast, and there was magic involved. If anything, Aaravos was the damsel. He fit the part more, pretty in the fading evening light, acting like he didn’t have a care in the world. 

Viren might have forgotten where he was going with his original argument and just looked. It didn’t hurt to look, and Aaravos basked under the attention. He decided that he should at least try to enjoy himself, since he had requested to come here.

“How do you feel about taking a walk?” he asked. 

(10)

There was no one else at the beach. Cold wind blew in from the open sea as the sun set behind the horizon. It was all nice and pleasant and he did like existing around Aaravos. But. 

“You are so preoccupied,” Aaravos stated.

“Can you blame me?”

“I can but I won’t.”

Viren bumped into him in retaliation. “Your wit is astounding.”

“True.”

He huffed a laugh and they kept walking. The waves hit the shore. “Do you think there’s a connection between the Moon Arcanum and the Ocean one?” he asked, in part to make conversation, but also because he wanted to know. “I’ve read some people speculate the moon and the tides are somehow connected.”

“The sun, too.”

“Really?”

“It is all linked.” Aaravos took Viren’s hand and brought them to a halt. “The primal sources.” The corner of his mouth ticked up once he had Viren’s undivided attention again. “Humans and elves.”

Viren was skeptical about that claim. “Humans and elves?” He took a step closer.

“Why, the evidence is before you.” Aaravos lifted up their hands, breaking out into a grin.

Going a bit soft at the sight of his partner smiling, silhouetted against the darkening sky, Viren fought a smile of his own. “Is this you making amends again?”

“It is more of an attempt at getting into your good graces.”

Viren freed his hand so he could hold Aaravos’ face with both, and kissed him. Aaravos hummed, pleased, leaned down to better meet him.    

Curious, Viren let his hands wander up until they met horns. He grasped them for leverage, and when his partner moaned into his mouth and pulled him closer, if the circumstances had been different, if he could relax and let go-- 

He pulled back. “Sorry, I just,” he trailed off. When Aaravos sighed and rested his forehead against his, Viren felt some intense regret about being so work driven. But the continued safety of his children and the kingdom had to come before selfish indulgence. 

“Do you trust me with your well-being?”

“My well-being?” he asked, not that surprised anymore to find that the answer was, “Yes, I do.” He continued, “But this is bigger than me, it’s Katolis and potentially the rest of the human kingdoms.”

Aaravos opened his eyes and from so close, Viren couldn’t look away even if he wanted to. “Extend that trust and let this play out.”

He wished he could. “I can’t stay idle.”

“I know.” Aaravos straightened up. In the fading light of the setting sun, he looked petulant. “It hasn’t been a full day and you are driving yourself crazy.” 

“Well, I did warn you about how bad I am at this,” he gestured between them. They were close to standing under the stars again. After taking a walk on a beach at sunset.  _ Oh no, this really is a magical whirlwind romance.  _

Aaravos arched an eyebrow but didn’t comment. “There are people at the castle who you trust and who have access to the king,” he said instead.

“Claudia is the better pick,” Viren mused. The elves might not like his daughter, but she was King Ezran’s friend and had his ear. And she was more tactful than Soren. “I need to at least check.” He placed a hand on Aaravos’ chest, looking up at him. “Please, for my peace of mind.”

His partner heaved a put upon sigh. “Very well.” 

(10)

A letter might end up in the wrong hands, but a dream was harder to intercept. It was getting close to the time he preferred to turn in, and the bed they had now fit them a lot better than the one at the cabin. 

“Are you sure this is discreet enough to get past everyone?” Viren checked. Dream sharing was an obscure branch of magic, so while he had tried to look into it, the information he had been able to find was limited.

“Not everyone connected to the primal sources is a mage,” Aaravos reminded him.

“If this gets my daughter in trouble,” he left it there. Realistically, he wasn’t sure what he could do to Aaravos, except leave.

His partner settled behind him. “I will be as careful as I can.” 

Knowing how sneaky Aaravos could be, Viren found the promise reassuring. He could hear the waves hit the shore as he drifted.

Claudia was running way from some kind of a dark mass of limbs when Viren found her. The horror grew in size as his daughter tripped and pressed her eyes shut. Then it vanished. Claudia picked herself up and looked around, squinting when she spotted her father.

“Dad?”

“Hello, this is probably time sensitive so pay attention,” Viren started. She looked around, as though an explanation was just going to pop out of nowhere, before standing still to hear him out.

“Alright, I’m listening.” 

“Make sure King Ezran knows that his brother is still free and likely to stay that way for the foreseeable future.”

She nodded. “He knows already.”

That took Viren back. “What? How?”

“Uh, I don’t know exactly, but he says the Dragon Prince told him?” 

“The dragon, told him,” Viren repeated.

Claudia clarified, “Ezran can talk to animals.”

It didn’t make the situation that much clearer. “Across long distances?”

She shrugged. “I guess?”

He could feel Aaravos next to him, all smug and knowledgeable. It wasn’t that strange to him, to just know. He glanced over his shoulder, even though his partner wasn’t visible, and arched his brows to silently inquire if what he had just learned was plausible. Then he remembered that they had a connection, of sorts, where he could parse out what Aaravos was getting at and Aaravos had some access to his thoughts. 

“Dad, are you with someone?” Claudia asked, crossing her arms. “And how do you know the thing about Callum?”

He turned back towards his daughter. “The specifics of where I am and with whom are irrelevant,” Viren tried to dodge the question. “Never mind how I know.” 

“I don’t just mean are there other people around, I mean are you with someone?” she pressed.

“I’m afraid I don’t understand the question.” He did. “Have a nice night, speak nothing of this to anyone.” One day, if this all played out well, he might get to introduce the kids to Aaravos. It was an intimidating prospect.

He woke up a mixture of relieved and peeved. Relieved because he had gotten confirmation that his immediate interference wasn’t needed, and peeved because things were working out so smoothly without him. And Aaravos hadn’t told him. That was to be expected, he shouldn’t be surprised. 

The hand petting his scar helped placate him more than he was willing to admit.  

“They’ll want to capture you, still,” he said, watching the night sky through their window.

“Well, there is nothing quite like a common adversary to bring people together.” Aaravos pressed closer. “And who will guard me now when Thunder is dead,” he whispered.

Viren turned to lie on his back to face Aaravos. “Am I an accomplish or an unwitting captive in this scenario?” Maybe both. 

Aaravos smiled down at him. “Whichever suits your needs best.”

“I’ll think on it.” And he would, when it wasn’t late at night and he didn’t have a being of the cosmos whispering sweet schemes into his ear. 

“Not tonight.” 

“Starting tomorrow, then.” He needed more than a couple inches between them to be able to consider his options. It was an important decision, probably more important than if he should wait for Aaravos to close the distance or if he should do it. 

“The day after,” Aaravos bargained.

“Deal.” He’d accept whichever.

  
  



End file.
